Biography

After a distinguished career in which he focused his practice on the defense of products liability, toxic tort, construction and negligence cases, Dick Edwards now serves the firm of Campbell Campbell Edwards & Conroy as "of counsel," working with the firm's lawyers primarily in a supportive role.

Mr. Edwards earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Lehigh University and his Juris Doctor degree from Northeastern University School of Law. He is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel ("IADC") and a past Chair of its Advocacy Practice and Procedure Committee. He is an active member of the Defense Research Institute ("DRI"), where he recently served as a member of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Products Liability Committee. As a member of Lawyers for Civil Justice, he chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on Class Actions. He is also a member of the Product Liability Advisory Council, the American Bar Association ("ABA"), and the Massachusetts Bar Association. He is a Past President of the Northeastern Law School Alumni Association and has been selected as a member of the International Who's Who of Product Liability Defense Lawyers, Marquis Who's Who in the World, and The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers.

Mr. Edwards has presented speeches and papers before numerous national organizations on a variety of topics, ranging from effective cross examination of experts to the use of videotaped evidence. His article Is Mandatory Disclosure Working? appeared in DRI's FOR THE DEFENSE, Vol. 38, No. 9 (September, 1996). He is the author of a law review article, Proposed Limitations on Discovery, 59 DEF. COUNS. J. 169 (1992) and is also a co-author of two publications, Federal Rule 26 Amendments: Wrong Medicine for Discovery Problems, 58 DEF. COUNS. J. 454 (1991), and THE DUTY TO WARN AND THE DUTY TO INFORM: MARKETING DEFECTS IN STRICT PRODUCTS LIABILITY, a monograph published by the Defense Research Institute. He has contributed to several editions of DRI's PRODUCTS LIABILITY DEFENSES: A STATE BY STATE COMPENDIUM.

Curriculum Vitae

Professional:

Of Counsel at Campbell Campbell Edwards & Conroy, a medium sized firm concentrating in trial practice throughout the Northeast United States. Mr. Edwards works with the firm’s lawyers primarily in a supportive role.

Education:

1966		B.S.I.E.; Lehigh University
1980		J.D.; Northeastern University School of Law

Bar Admissions:

1980		Massachusetts
1981		U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
1983		U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
1985		Supreme Court of the United States
1998		U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut

Military Service:

1966 - 1970

Captain, United States Air Force Awarded Bronze Star Medal

Publications:

"Defending the Case of Admitted Liability", ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section ("TIPS"), May, 2001

"The Impact of Standards on Products Liability Litigation" Product Liability Megaconference II, ABA TIPS, October, 1998.

Clash of the Titans: Product Liability Meets Construction Litigation - The Product Supplier's Duties and Defenses, (International Association of Defense Counsel, Mid-Winter Meeting, 1993).

"Maximizing the Benefit of a Daubert Hearing: The Cross Examination of the Plaintiff's Expert, "OACTA, Vol. 33, No. 1.

Proposed Limitations on Discovery, 59 Def.Couns. J. 169 (1992).

"Products Liability Defenses: A State-by-State Compendium", DRI, 1992

Federal Rule 26 Amendments: Wrong Medicine for Discovery Problems, 58 Def.Couns. J. 454 (1991).

The Duty to Warn and the Duty to Inform: Marketing Defects in Strict Products Liability, DRI, 1989.

"Using Videotape Evidence in Personal Injury Litigation," The Brief, ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section Fall, 1987.

Presentations:

"Strategies in the Admitted Liability Case," DRI Damages Seminar, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 15-16, 2001

"The Impact of Standards on Products Liability Litigation," Product Liability Megaconference II, American Bar Association, ABA TIPS, October, 1998

"Maximizing the Benefit of a Daubert Hearing: The Cross-Examination of the Plaintiff's Expert," DRI Products Seminar, San Diego, January 24, 1997

"Expert Depositions after Daubert: A Strategy for Success," DRI Products Seminar, San Francisco, February 10, 1995

"Practice under the New Federal Rules," Tokio Marine CLE Program/Campanella Classic, Los Angeles, California, November 15, 1994

"It's a Whole New Ballgame: How To Practice under the New Rules" (moderator), IADC, Scottsdale, Arizona, February 15, 1994

"The Federal Court Discovery Minefield: A Survival Kit," DRI Products Seminar, San Diego, California, February 11, 1994 (suggestions for effective practice under the revised Rules of Civil Procedure)

"Practice Under the New Local and Federal Rules," Massachusetts Defense Lawyers' Association, Boston, December 3, 1993

"The Product Supplier's Duties and Defenses," IADC Mid-Winter Meeting, February 1993 (included materials on statutes of repose; inherent unknowability; express warranty through advertising claims; component part manufacturer liability; what is a product; tight building syndrome; sealed container defense)

"Mock Trial: Cross Examination of Plaintiff's Experts,� Sophisticated Product Liability Litigation seminar, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, May 1992

"Fast Track Defense: An Outline for the First 90 Days of a Lawsuit," The Corporate Bar Association of Westchester & Fairfield Counties, October 1992

"Revisions to Rules 30-34 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: Limitation on Discovery for the 1990s and Beyond," IADC Mid-Winter meeting, February 12, 1992

"Drastic changes in Civil Litigation: Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," Product Liability Committee seminar, DRI, February 6, 1992

"Cross-examination of Expert Neuropsychologists and Psychiatrists," Product Liability Committee seminar, DRI, February 6, 1992

"Discovery Techniques and Deposing the Adverse Expert Witness," Massachusetts Defense Lawyers' Association, June 7, 1991 (includes extensive materials regarding admissibility of evidence regarding experts)

"Consumer Protection Law in Each of the 50 States and Ways to Deal With Them." Product Liability Advisory Council, April 1991

"Revisions to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: Substance and Litigation Strategy"; Manufacturers' Alliance for Productivity and Innovation, May 30, 1991

"Fast Track Defense: An Outline for the First 90 Days"; Risk and Insurance Management Society, Rocky Mountain Chapter, Denver, Colorado, February 28, 1991

"Enhanced Injury Litigation in Massachusetts," Sophisticated Products Liability seminar, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, February 2, 1991

"Fast Track Litigation: An outline for the first 90 days"; Risk Management Council, Manufacturers' Alliance of Productivity and Innovation, Sea Island, Georgia, October 19, 1990.

"How to Develop Litigation Repellant for Your In-house Personnel and Documents," Risk and Insurance Management Society Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 28, 1991

"Deposing the Plaintiff in a Products Liability Case," Product Liability Committee seminar, DRI, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 1991

"Protection of In-house Personnel and Documents During the Discovery Process," Product Liability Committee seminar, DRI, January 31, 1990 (included materials regarding document retention programs, self-critical analysis, interviews of current and past employees, in-house litigation training programs, protection of in-house experts, depositions of chief executive officer and in-house counsel)

"Fast Track Defense: An Outline for the First 90 Days"; Risk and Insurance Management Society, South Florida chapter, Miami, Florida, June 27, 1990

"Product Liability Litigation: Improving the Odds," Medmarc Annual Meeting, Westfield, Virginia, May 18, 1990

"Fast Track Defense: An Outline for the First 90 Days," Risk and Insurance Management Society Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, April 30, 1990

"Anatomy of the Complex Motor Vehicle Case," Practicing Law Institute, November 16, 1989

"Taking Control of Products Liability Cases Through Initial Discovery," Product Liability Committee seminar, DRI, December 8, 1988

"Closing the Loop in Bad Documents," Symposium on Fall Protection, Construction Section, National Safety Council, June 29, 1988

"Defenses to Crashworthiness Claims," Product Liability Committee seminar, DRI, January 27, 1988 (includes crashworthiness cases, seatbelt defense, pre-emption/airbags, alcohol use as a defense)

"Cross-examining Plaintiff's Causation Experts in Hazardous Waste Cases, Human Factors Experts and Biomechanical Experts," Expert Witness Seminar, DRI, September 10, 1987

"Defense to Crashworthiness Claims," Tort and Insurance Practice Section, American Bar Association, May 13, 1987

"The Use of Videotape in Litigation," Litigation Section, Products, General Liability and Consumer Law Committee, American Bar Association; February 19, 1987

"Recent Developments in Inherently Dangerous Products," Product Liability Committee Seminar, DRI, December 11, 1986 (cases focused on tobacco, guns, drugs, automobiles and alcohol)

"Uses of Videotaped Evidence," Product Liability Committee seminar, DRI, March 1985

Professional Organizations and Appointments:

Defense Research Institute

Member, Board of Directors, 1999 - 2002

Member, Products Liability Committee

    Chair, 1997 - 1999

    Member, Steering Committee

    Chair, Duty to Warn and Labeling Subcommittee, 1985-1988

Member, Commercial Litigation Committee

Member, Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee

Member, Trucking Law Committee

Product Liability Advisory Council

Boston Bar Association

International Association of Defense Counsel

Chair, Advocacy, Practice and Procedure Committee, 1993 - 1995

Faculty Member, Defense Counsel Trial Academy, University of Colorado, 1994

American Bar Association

Member, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)

Member, Litigation Section

Faculty Member, 2001 TIPS National Trial Academy

Massachusetts Bar Association

Member, Civil Litigation Section, Products Liability Committee

Northeastern University Law School

President, Alumni/ae Association, 1993 - 1994

Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association

Professional Distinctions:

Selected as a member of the International Who's Who of Product Liability Lawyers, Who's Who in the World and International Who's Who of Business Lawyers.